Take-down joint



Patented Apr. 12, 1938 g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAKE-DOWN JOINT Hans Wollner, Detroit, Mich assig'nor to Unlversal Products 00., Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application August 29, 1935, Serial No. 38,489 Claims. (01. 64-17) The present invention relates to universal joint transmission, because of the reduced assembly mechanism and particularly to universal joint cost resulting from their use. mechanism of the demountable or take-down Such joints conventionally include a pair of type. yokes, one of which is splined to the drive shaft 5 It is an object of the present invention to proor torque tube,.and the other of which is splined 5 vide a universal joint comprising a yoke conto the shaft portion extending from the transnected to a coupling or cross through a bushing mission. Each yoke may comprise a pair of formed to slidably and rotatably fit over a trunspaced legs formed to provide journals for trunnion associated with the coupling, and to slidnions formed in radially spaced relation on an ably but non-rotatably fit into the yoke. intermediate coupling or cross, Customarily, 10

It is a further object of the present invention also, a bearing cup, which forms a housing for a to provide a bushing of the above mentioned needle bearing unit is interposed between the character which may be retained in assembled journals and the trunnions. relation and properly aligned with the yoke by Preferably, the journals associated with one of retaining rings which may be snapped into'place the yokes are of the demountable type, that is, 15 after assembly of the parts. such yokes and the coupling may be assembled It is a further object of the present invention and disassembled readily in the assembly line. to provide a universal joint in which the above In accordance with this practice, the joint is stated bushing or intermediate member comsupplied to the automobile assembly line with one prises a bearing cup formed to receive a needle of the yokes in assembled relation with the cou- 20 bearing unit. pling and the other yoke disassembled therefrom. It is a further object of the present invention The initially disassembled yoke is connected to to provide a universal joint embodying a yoke, the coupling to complete the joint as a part of comprising an enclosed non-circularjournal porthe regular assembly line routine. It is essential tion, a bushing having its periphery formed to therefore that the joints be readily assembled 25 fit non-rotatably within such journal portion, and embody as few parts as possible. The joints and a cross or coupling member having a trunare subjected to heavy duty, and it is further esnion rotatably received within said bushing memsential that the rapid assembly produce a rigid her; and durable unit.

It is also an object of the present invention to The co-pending applications of the present apgenerally simplify and improve the construction plicant, Serial Number 21,215, filed May 15, 1935, of universal joints of the take-down or demountand Serial Number 31,771, filed July 10, 1935, disable type. close demountable universal joints which may be Other objects and advantages of the present assembled in accordance with the above described invention appear in the following description and practice. In accordance with the constructions in the appended claims. there disclosed, the demountable yoke is formed In the drawing, throughout the several views with open mouth journal portions, wide enough of which corresponding reference characters are to permit the bushings or bearing cups to be used to designate corresponding parts: slipped therein longitudinally of the yoke, and 40 Figure 1 isa view in elevation, partly in section, being adapted to be thereafter closed or restricted 40 of a universal joint embodying the present inby external means.

vention; The present invention provides a construction Fig. 2 is a view taken along the lines 2-2 of ofuniversal joint which distinguishes from the Fig. 1; above constructions principally in that the jour- Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of nal portions of the initially disassembled yoke 45 Fig. 1; and are enclosed, and the supplementalclosing or Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the structure shown restricting means are dispensed with. In the ilin Fig, 1, illustrating the method of assembling lustrated form of the present invention, the jourthe parts. nal portions of the disassembled yokes are non- In the automobile industry, which provides an circularly formed, the formation being such as 50 illustrative application for the universal joint of may readily and economically be efiected by a the present invention, universal joints of the broaching operation. A bearing cup, formed to take-down or demountable type have been genhouse a conventional needle bearing unit, or erally adopted in forming a connection between other type of intermediate bushing member, is

. +1.0 drive shaft or torque tube and the vehicle provided to be slipped over the end of each trunnion of the intermediate coupling or cross. The exterior of the bushing or bearing cup is formed to correspond to and readily slide into the noncircular journal openings in the yoke. The bearing cups or bushings are retained in place and aligned in proper relation to the yokes by retaining rings which conveniently snap into annular surface recesses in the bushings or bearing cups.

The relation of the partsis such that in assembly the couplings or cross may be turned at an angle with respect to the yoke and one trunnion inserted into its cooperating journal opening and passed therethrough far enough to be swung to a position in which an opposite trunnion registers with its cooperating journal opening, The coupling may then be centered with respect to the yoke and the bushings or bearing cups fitted thereover and locked in place by means of the retaining rings, which engage the inner edges of the yoke journal portions. As stated the exterior of the bushings or bearing cups correspond to the non-circular formation of the journal openings so that the bearing cups are nonrotatable with respect to the yokes, and all of the rotative movements are effected through the needle bearing connection between the bearing cups and the trunnions.

Referring in detail to the drawing, illustrative shaft sections l0 and I2 are conventionally splined to yokes i4 and i8, which in turn are universally connected together through a central cross or coupling I 8.

The yoke i4 is bifurcated and includes the two oppositely disposed leg sections 20, the outer end of each of which is provided with a journal opening 22, which passes therethrough at right angles to the longitudinal axis of yoke l4. As best shown in Fig. 3, each opening 22 is circular throughout a substantial portion of its perimeter, but includes the flattened or cam section 24.

The coupling or cross l8 comprises the four similar radially disposed co-planar trunnions, spaced ninety degrees apart and one of which is designated 28. A bearing cup 28 is provided for each trunnion associated with yoke ll, to house a conventional needle bearing unit. One such unit is shown as comprising the rollers 30. A

lubricant tight seal is provided between each bearing cup and its associated trunnion and may comprise a packing ring such as 32, a packing gland such as 34 and a retaining ring such as 38. This construction is conventional and it will be understood that when the parts are in assembled relation the inner edge of each bearing cup is pressed tightly into engagement with the associated retaining ring 38, thereby compressing the packing gland 34 and affording a tight seal.

The exterior of each of the two bearing cups 28 associated with yoke I4 is circular throughout a substantial portion of its perimeter, but includes a flattened portion 38 which corresponds to and is substantially coextensive with the fiattened surface 34 formed on the journal opening 22. The dimensions of the parts are such that each of the bearing cups 28 may be freely slid into the associated journal opening. Rotation therein is prevented by the cooperating flattened surfaces 34 and 38.

In assembling yoke ll with cross l8, and referring particularly to Fig. 4, cross i8 is turned to the position shown in full lines, thus permitting one of the two trunnions 28 associated with yoke l4, previously supplied with a retaining ring 32, to be inserted into and partially throughthe journal opening 22. At will be understood, the di sions of the trunnions 28 and journal openings 22 are such that the trunnion 28 may be slipped far enough through opening 22 to allow the opposite trunnion 28 to be swung in a counterclockwise direction into registry with its associated opening 22. 'I'hereafter,.the cross l8 may be entered with respect to yoke I4 and the two bearing cups 28, which may previously have been supplied with the needle bearing elements, may be slipped into the journal openings 22 andover the ends of the associated trimnions 28. After bearing cups 28 are fitted in place, locking rings 48 are successively snapped into the annular recesses 82 formed in bearing cups 28. The locking rings 48 are preferably formed of-a bent piece of springlike metal, curved into an arc of slightly smaller radius than the radius of the associated recess 82. The free ends of each ring are preferably flared-outwardly to assist in the snapping action. In being and so are securely maintained within the cooperating recesses. As will be evident, the retain-- ing rings 40 serve both to lock the bearing cups 28 in place, and also to properly positionthese elements with respect to yoke H.

The remaining yoke l8 may be constructed as described in connection with yoke ll. To simplify the drawing however, the remaining yoke 18 is illustrated as of the conventional type, being provided with the legs 44 in which the circular journal openings 48 are provided. The bearing cups 81 associated with yoke l8 correspond in construction to cups 28 but are circular, and are preferably press fitted into the journal openings 48, so that rotation between yoke l8 and the bearing cups is prevented. Retaining rings 48 are also provided in connection with the bearing cups 81.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be evident that various changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts within the spirit thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Universal joint mechanism comprising, in combination, a yoke having a pair of spaced legs each having a non-circular journal opening formed therein of uniform size along its length; a coupling having a trunnion individual to each of said journal openings; a bushing individual to each trunnion for rotatably supporting it in the associated journal opening and having anon-circular exterior of uniform size along its length adapted to be slidably but non-rotatably received in the corresponding opening, and a retaining ring individual to each of said bushings for securing it in position axially with respect to the associated legs.

2. Universal joint mechanism comprising, in combination, a yoke having a pair of spaced legs each having a non-circular journal opening formed therein of uniform size along its length; a coupling member having shaft sections individual to each of said journal openings; meanscomprising a bushing for rotatably supporting each of said shaft sections in the associated journal opening, and having a non-circular exterior of uniform size'along its length adapted to be slidably but non-rotatably received in the associated journal opening, and means for axially positioning said bushings with respect to said journal openings.

3. Universal joint mechanism, comprising, in combination, a yoke having a pair of spaced legs each having an inwardly presenting face and snapped in place, the rings 88 are sprung slightly 20 each having a non-circular journal opening formed therein of uniform size along its length; a coupling member having a pair of axially parallel trunnions, one individual to each of said journal openings and adapted to be projected into the associated opening in assembling the joint; a cup-like member adapted to be fitted over the end of the associated trunnion after the associated trunnion has been inserted into the associated opening, each cup-like member having an exterior of uniform size along its length and shaped to have a slidable but nonrotative fit in the corresponding opening; and a retaining ring individual to each cup-like member and adapted to be fitted thereover so as to bear against the said face of the associated leg so as to axially position the associated cup-like member.

4. Universal joint mechanism comprising in combination, a first member having a pair of spaced axially aligned non-circular journal openings therein of uniform size along their lengths; a second member having a trunnion individual to each of said openings; 9. bushing individual to each trunnion for rotatably supporting it in the corresponding opening, each bushing being of uniform size along its length so that it is axially slidable into the associated opening and being non-circular in section so that the surfaces of the bushing and of the opening cooperate to prevent relative rotation therebetween; and means for retaining each bushing and its journal opening in assembled axial relation.

5. Universal joint mechanism comprising in combination, a first member having a pair of spaced axially aligned non-circular Journal openings therein of uniform size along their lengths; a second member having a. trunnion individual to each of said openings; a bushing individual to each trunnion for rotatably supporting it in the corresponding opening, each bushing being of uniform size along its length so that it is axially slidable into the associated opening and having an external surface which is non-circular and complemental to the surface of the corresponding opening so that the complemental surfaces directly interengag'e to prevent relative rotation between each opening and its bushing; and means for retaining each bushing and its journal opening in assembled axial relation.

HANS WOLLNER. 

